It is to be understood that the instant invention relates to feminine performance costume garments of those types characteristically worn by girls and women performer participants in activities such as dance of either the ballet or modern school disciplines, competitive athletic activities such as gymnastic and either ice or roller skating events which would also include the athletic activities of tennis and swimming and diving events and the like, as well as costume attire for specialized uses such as would traditionally be worn by feminine circus performers in equestrian and tightrope performance acts and the like, all of which attire is in one form or another basically a leotard, herein referred to more broadly, however, to be inclusive of the foregoing but not necessarily per se limited thereby, as being feminine performance costume garments.
Heretofore, performance costume garments, such as gymnastic and dance or theatrical leotards, ice and roller skating costumes, swimming suits and the like for instance, for feminine attire, have been comprised generally of the following two structural types.
First, the traditional style of gymnastic or dance leotard, or bathing suit attire, having distinctly separate under and outer garments as characterized by the respective disclosures taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,023 to Goodman dated July 16, 1957, U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,419 to Strahle dated Mar. 6, 1962, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,172 to Barg dated Nov. 13, 1973; wherein the Strahle disclosure is of particular interest in that it teaches a conventional leotard garment style, modified, however, by an invisible flap opening in the crotch area thereof whereby is facilitated the removal for changing of wearer undergarment attire without the necessity of having to completely remove the leotard.
Secondly, gymnastic and bathing attire of structurally modified design to embody as an integral construction feature the combined incorporation of a trunk or panty brief undergarment sewn about the waist band thereof to the outer costume garment as is disclosed in the respective teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 1,701,933 to Rivkin dated Feb. 12, 1929, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,781,271 to Cowdrey dated Nov. 11, 1930.
Certain additional features are also shown in the prior art, such as exemplified by the bathing suit disclosure set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 2,033,456 to Cunningham dated Mar. 10, 1036, further teaching therein the embodiment of a crotch insert as an integral element of the undergarment structure.
As is the case with both of the foregoing general types of feminine costume garment structures, whether of the separate and distinct under and outer garment type as first recited, or the combined under and outer garment type as secondly recited, neither type provides for appropriate means to prevent the outer costume garment leg openings from riding up the thighs of the wearer while executing routine movements during attired use in activity and presentation or competitive performance events, with the consequent result that any undergarment panty brief attire worn by the feminine attiree is subjected to being exposed to spectators, all of which detracts from the presentation, reduces performer concentration and poise, and in competitive dance or gymnastic and athletic events usually results in a lower rating by judging officials than would otherwise be obtainable but for the inherent and apparent distraction and concern factors obviously demonstrated by a feminine performer in modesty about panty undergarment exposure in the crotch and upper thigh areas during her performance presentation.
The instant invention overcomes the problem of panty brief exposure in the crotch and upper thigh areas of the wearer of a feminine performance costume garment during performance use while attired therein, and although some of the elements of the present invention have been disclosed in the art there is no description therein of that combination of elements resulting in the present structures and resultant construction features of novel merit as set forth hereinafter.